This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Floor cleaning machines having a machine frame and a chassis for moving the floor cleaning machine are used to clean large floor areas, for example in public buildings or supermarkets. To this end, the machines are operated in such a manner that, as said machine travels over a floor area of this kind that is to be cleaned, dirt that is located on the floor is initially loosened with the aid of the cleaning head and the brushes provided thereon, which are preferably driven, using fluid that is applied to the floor area by the cleaning head. The contaminated fluid is then suctioned back up with the aid of the suction foot. As such, both the cleaning head and the suction foot are mounted on the machine frame of the floor cleaning machine in a height-adjustable manner, in order to make it possible that both units need not necessarily be in contact with the floor area.
During the operation of a floor cleaning machine of this kind, the following modes of operation or, respectively, combinations of settings for the position of the cleaning head and the suction foot are essentially required. First, it must be possible for both the cleaning head and the suction foot to be lifted and not in contact or, respectively, engaged with the floor area, which is necessary in order that the floor cleaning machine can move freely. A second mode of operation is then needed for the pure suction operation, in which only the suction foot is lowered into a contact position on the floor area, in order that fluid that is still located on the floor area can be suctioned up, however, during which the cleaning head is not on contact with the floor area.
Finally, a third mode of operation must be made possible, in which both the cleaning head and the suction foot are in an engagement or, respectively, contact position with the floor area, so that on the one hand, the floor area is cleaned by means of the cleaning head, and on the other hand, the contaminated water is suctioned up from the floor by means of the suction foot.
In this way, in the case of a floor cleaning machine of this kind, lifting devices must be present both for the suction foot and for the cleaning head, and these lifting devices typically require separate drives, which is associated with considerable costs and a need for installation space.
We have found that there is a need in the art for a floor cleaning machine having a relatively simpler mechanism for adjusting the respective positions of the cleaning head and the suction foot.